Santa Baby
by SussiRay
Summary: Emily wants to bake Christmas cookies for Hotch and Jack, problem is that she can't bake. Will Hotch's surprise make her feel better about ruined cookies? Christmas gift fic for barrani!


**A/N: This is my Christmas Gift Fic, written for _barrani_ for the fic exchange on Chit Chat On Author's Corner. **

**I hope that you will all enjoy it! Especially you, _barrani_!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds

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**Prompts: "Santa Baby", Christmas lights and Christmas cookies**

**Santa Baby**

"_Santa Baby, _

_Forgot to mention one little thing,_

_A ring – I don't mean on the phone, _

_Santa Baby,_

_So hurry down the chimney tonight."_

Eartha Kitt's sultry voice filled the warm kitchen. It slowly swirled together with the sweet smell of baking cookies wafting from the oven. Emily held her hands under the faucet, rinsing off the remainders of (store-bought) cookie dough from her hands. She had wanted the apartment to be filled with all kinds of Christmas aromas when Aaron came home, but she knew her limitations… and baking was one of them. She glanced over at the oven, silently praying that this batch of cookies wouldn't burn, like the two before it had.

She wiped her hands on the snowman apron tied around her waist and bent down to properly check on the cookies. According to the timer they wouldn't be done for another five minutes, but she wanted to make perfectly sure that these wouldn't get ruined in any way. She couldn't afford another baking sheet going down the trash as there was no more dough, except for the small piece she had saved for when Jack got back from his friend's, and she really had neither the time nor the strength to go to the market one more time.

Of course Aaron, being the perfect southern gentleman that he was, had offered to go to the market after work to get all the stuff that she might need for her Christmas preparations. But she had, of course, refused no matter how much he prompted and pleaded to let him do it. She was perfectly capable of going to the store, she was just a little cramped for time, that was all.

Deciding that the cookies didn't look close to being finished at all, she went to the living room to put some of the Christmas lights up in the tree. Walking over to the kitchen counter, she untied her apron and pulled it off before turning the volume up a few notches on the docking station so that the music would travel into the living room as well. She picked up the string of multicolored lights from the table and went over to the tree. She had offered to get the lights up as she knew Aaron hated to do it and she knew that he had nowhere near enough patience needed to detangle the ball of cords that the lights had made up. Besides, she knew that she would have to change them all to her liking after he would have been done so it was really much easier to just do it herself.

She glanced at her wrist watch before fastening the first lightbulb in the tree, she had a few more minutes to spare. She was going to be extra careful with this batch. She looked down at the red and green lighbulbs in her hand, they were the reason the second batch had got ruined. It had taken her almost half-an-hour to unwind the cords and slowly the sticky smell of burning dough had filled the apartment reminding her that she was actually multi-tasking. Hurrying as fast as her feet could carry her, she had wrenched the oven door open, several expletives jumping off her red lips as the smoked surged out across her face. Coughing wildly she had quickly dumped sheet and its contents in the sink.

She absentmindedly put another light in the tree. The demise of the second batch of cookies had been a lot worse than what had happened when the first batch got ruined. That time she'd simply forgotten to set the timer, then she had gone to collect a box of ornaments from the hallway closet and when she had come back to the kitchen to check on the cookies she had noticed that the timer was still standing on ten minutes and the cookies had turned dark brown instead of the golden color they were supposed to have. That time she had just laughed at her scattered brain.

Just as she was putting the fourth bulb, another red one, in the tree she could hear the timer going off loudly. She hurried to the kitchen, grabbed the oven mitt and pulled out the baking sheet. No smoke came billowing over her, just the sweet sugary smell of the cookies. She smiled as she put the sheet of golden brown cookies down on the counter top. She cocked an eyebrow at them, they didn't look perfect but as long as they tasted good she didn't care what they looked like. She picked a cookie up, wincing a little as the heat touched her fingers, it was a little flat but not too bad. She carefully pushed her teeth into it and immediately felt her spirits dropping. It was like taking a bite out of a rock. Sighing, she threw it into the sink to join the other ruined cookies.

She sank down on a chair next to the kitchen table. All she had wanted to do was to make Christmas cookies for Aaron and Jack. Why was that so freaking hard? She sniffled as involuntary tears dripped down her face and landed on her red sweater. She buried her face in her palms, she didn't want to break down over such a silly little thing but she couldn't help it. She was a highly trained FBI agent and she had failed at something as simple as baking cookies. She drew a wheezing breath between tears.

She hadn't heard the key hitting the lock and when a deep, smooth voice behind her said her name she startled. Turning quickly she saw Aaron standing in the doorway, still in his overcoat and with a few flakes of snow glistening in his dark, not even slightly mussed, hair, looking intently at her.

A deep frown creased his forehead as he saw her teary face and he rushed over. "Emily, sweetheart, what's wrong?" He cupped her cheeks in his large hands and tilted her face to look at him. His eyes were dark with concern, fear almost, as he rubbed his calloused thumb against her wet cheek.

"The cookies," she sniffled and he raised a confused eyebrow, "I ruined them all. I wanted to bake you and Jack Christmas cookies but they're all either burned or rock hard."

"Oh, that's okay, sweetheart," Hotch said pulling her into a hug, "don't worry about it, I'm sure they are fine." He gave her a squeeze before letting go and turning around to look at the cookies on the counter. "These doesn't look so bad," he said with a smile and picked up one of the cookies.

"They look fine," Emily said, a little calmer as she wiped her face with the back of her hand, "but don't take a bite, sweetie, or you might chip a tooth."

Hotch gazed worriedly at the star-shaped cookie in his hand for a few seconds before placing at back on top of the grid.

"I'm sorry," Emily said, tears beginning to slowly fall again, "I just suck at baking." She drew a breath. "You knew that," she said, her tone almost accusatory, "you knew that I can't bake."

Hotch sighed, but hid it well enough for Emily not to notice. He did know that cooking and baking weren't Emily's strong suit. That was why he had suggested getting the cookies from a bakery, like he and Jack had done previous Christmases when it was just the two of them. But Emily had insisted, she had said that she wanted to do something special for them and well, he couldn't really say no to her. To tell her that there was something he didn't really think that she'd be able to do would probably get him shot, or at least put him on the couch for a week, and neither sounded all that appealing.

"I'm sure there was something wrong with the dough, sweetie," he said, stroking Emily's shoulder. "Maybe we could throw some icing on them and use them as ornaments for the tree." He smiled at Emily, a smile that quickly waned as he saw her wide eyed look.

"Oh, the tree," she said clasping a hand over her mouth and getting up. Starting towards the living room, she said over her shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Aaron, I totally forgot about the tree," she walked over to the tree and picked up the string of lights, "I was going to put all the lights up before you got home, I know how you hate doing that."

Hotch took the few steps to her quickly, taking the lights from her hands and leading her to the couch. "Don't worry about it, Emily," he said, his voice flowing softly, "here, sit down and rest for a while, it seems like your day has been a busy one." He bent down and kissed the top of her head. Straightening up, he gave her a two-dimpled smile. "I think that I might have something that will make this day better."

"What?" She looked up at him with big brown curious eyes.

"You'll have to wait and see, it's a surprise," he said, lightly cupping her face and bringing his lips down for a soft kiss. "Be right back," he smiled.

Emily sat looking in the direction that Hotch had left, she could hear him opening a drawer in the bedroom and her interest peaked. He came back half a minute later with a tiny box wrapped in shiny red paper in his hands. He gave her a smile as he sat down next to her on the couch. He placed the little box in her hands, "I was going to give you this on Christmas morning, but..." he smiled, "...I don't want to wait. Open it."

Emily smiled at him as she first carefully undid the gold ribbon, then pulling the lid off she was met by a small black velvet box. Her breath hitched in her throat as she took the little box out. She opened it slowly, not even noticing that she was holding her breath until Hotch spoke. Taking the classic white gold band from the box he sank down on one knee. "Emily Prentiss," he said, taking her shaking hand in his, "I've loved you for what feels like forever, I love every single little thing about you and I love them more and more each day and you would make me the happiest man on earth if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife."

Emily drew a deep breath as she felt the tears starting to fall down her cheeks again. Grinning she grabbed Hotch's face and pressed her lips against his. He returned her kiss with vigor, one hand still holding on to hers, but the other tangling in her soft hair. He let go of his gentle grip on her bottom lip and searched for her eyes. "Is that a yes?" he said with trepidation as his gaze locked onto hers.

Emily nodded, as he slid the ring onto her finger. "Yes, Aaron, that's a yes. A big yes."

Hotch grinned, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles one by one. Then he leaned down and as he pressed his lips against her rounded belly he whispered, "Did you hear that, Babies? Mommy and Daddy are getting married."

**The End

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**A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review if you have the time.**

**Merry Christmas!**

**x Sussi**


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